Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 1183272

Annual Expenditure: £0.6M
Throughout England And Wales

Contact Info

Website:https://www.alanboswell.com/about/environmental-social-governance/the-alan-boswell-group-charitable-trust-abgct/

Phone:01603 218000

Email:contact@alanboswelltrust.com

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £600,000+
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Up to 3 months (quarterly review cycle)
  • Grant Range: No minimum or maximum (grants typically £1,000 - £25,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire (East of England)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.alanboswell.com/about/environmental-social-governance/the-alan-boswell-group-charitable-trust-abgct/

Email: contact@alanboswelltrust.com

Phone: 01603 218000

Address: Alan Boswell Group, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RE

Overview

The Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust was established in May 2019 as the charitable arm of Alan Boswell Group, one of the UK's largest independent insurance brokers. Since inception, the Trust has donated over £3 million to charitable causes across the East of England. With an annual income of approximately £600,633 from donations and annual charitable expenditure exceeding £593,000, the Trust operates with a clear mission to benefit the wider public in communities where Alan Boswell Group has a presence. The Trust is governed by six trustees and supported by eight volunteers, maintaining independence and impartiality in its decision-making. The Trust has no lower or upper limit on grant amounts, allowing flexibility to support projects of various scales, from small community initiatives to major capital projects.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Open Grant Programme: No fixed grant range

  • Applications accepted on a rolling basis
  • Trustees meet quarterly to review applications
  • No specific grant tiers or named programmes
  • Grants typically range from £1,000 to £25,000 based on recent awards
  • All grants must have 1-3 measurable objectives agreed at the outset
  • Applications must be submitted via standardized form emailed to contact@alanboswelltrust.com

Priority Areas

The Trust considers applications across a wide range of charitable causes, with recent funding supporting:

  • Healthcare and hospice care: Cancer support centres, mobile treatment units, hospices, palliative care equipment
  • Mental health services: Support hubs, counselling services, eating disorder treatment
  • Children and education: Sensory gardens for special needs schools, youth sailing programmes, science festivals
  • Elderly and vulnerable communities: Dementia support clubs, Christmas hampers for families in need, bereavement services
  • Sports and recreation: Community sports foundations, sports clubs, leisure facilities
  • Veterans support: Services for former armed forces personnel
  • Animal welfare: Sanctuaries and rescue organizations
  • Community resources: Community hubs, disaster recovery, social infrastructure
  • Capital projects: Equipment purchases, facility refurbishments, accessible vehicles

The Trust particularly prioritizes causes in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire where Alan Boswell Group operates, though does not exclude larger UK-wide charities with strong local connections.

What They Don't Fund

The Trust will NOT normally support:

  • General appeals from large national charities without local connection
  • Religious activities that do not provide clear public benefit
  • Statutory obligations of public bodies
  • Grant-making by other organizations (re-granting)
  • Profit-distributing companies
  • Applications from unregistered charities seeking unrestricted funds (restricted grants only)

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The Trust is governed by six trustees who are responsible for controlling the work, management, and administration of the charity:

  1. Alan Charles Boswell - Trustee (appointed October 2018), Executive Chairman of Alan Boswell Group
  2. Christopher John Gibbs - Trustee (appointed October 2018), Managing Director of Alan Boswell Group
  3. Lisa Martine Adams - Trustee (appointed October 2018)
  4. Alastair Fitzroy Drew - Trustee (appointed October 2018)
  5. Alexandra Bartram DL - Trustee (appointed April 2019)
  6. Sarah Lusher - Trustee (appointed April 2019)

The committee comprises staff from across the Alan Boswell Group and is designed to remain impartial and independent. No trustees receive remuneration or payments for their service.

Leadership Philosophy

The trustees emphasize their commitment to supporting a “wide range of organisations which will ultimately result in the wider public benefiting” and are “particularly keen to help charitable causes in the locations where Alan Boswell Group has a presence.” The Trust requires measurable objectives for all grants to ensure accountability and demonstrate impact.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Download and complete the standardized grant application form (available at https://www.alanboswell.com/wp-content/uploads/Grant-application-form-v2.pdf)
  2. Email completed form to contact@alanboswelltrust.com
  3. Sub-committee review: Applications are initially reviewed by a sub-committee member
  4. Board presentation: Suitable applications are presented to the full board of trustees for discussion
  5. Decision: Trustees make the final decision at quarterly meetings
  6. Payment: Successful grants are paid following trustee approval

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must support charitable purposes as defined in law
  • Applicants do not need to be registered charities
  • Unrestricted grants only available to registered charities
  • Unregistered organizations may receive restricted grants for specific charitable purposes
  • Must demonstrate how funding will benefit the wider public

Application Requirements:

  • Standardized application form must be used
  • Must identify 1-3 measurable objectives for the grant
  • Should demonstrate connection to Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, or Lincolnshire

Decision Timeline

  • Review cycle: Trustees meet quarterly (approximately every 3 months)
  • Notification: Applicants typically receive a decision within three months of submission
  • Processing time: Applications undergo sub-committee review before board presentation, adding some processing time before quarterly trustee meetings

Success Rates

The Trust receives high application volumes:

  • Recent quarterly volumes: 80-104 applications per quarter
  • Typical quarterly awards: 10-20 grants per quarter
  • Estimated success rate: Approximately 15-20% (based on application volumes vs. grants awarded)
  • Annual reach: Over 80 charities supported per year
  • Total quarterly funding: £119,000 - £167,000 per quarter

These figures indicate competitive selection, with the Trust reviewing significantly more applications than they can fund.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly stated. Organizations should contact the Trust directly at contact@alanboswelltrust.com for guidance on reapplying after an unsuccessful application.

Application Success Factors

What the Trust Looks For

Based on funded projects and trustee guidance, successful applications demonstrate:

  1. Clear local impact: Projects that directly benefit communities in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire
  2. Measurable outcomes: Ability to define 1-3 specific, measurable objectives
  3. Wide public benefit: Initiatives that reach beyond narrow beneficiary groups
  4. Practical solutions: Tangible projects such as equipment purchases, facility improvements, or specific programme delivery
  5. Organizational sustainability: Evidence that the project will have lasting impact

Recent Successful Projects

Examples that illustrate the Trust's priorities:

  • St Andrew's Hospice: £15,000 for cuddle bed enabling families to comfort loved ones in end-of-life care
  • The Clare School: £25,000 for sensory garden serving special needs children
  • Project Starfish: Funding enabled 803 young people to experience sailing programmes
  • Hope for Tomorrow: Support for mobile cancer treatment units serving rural communities
  • Norfolk Clubhouse: £5,000 for mental health hub with employment support
  • The Garage Trust: £10,000 for Creative Foundations programme for vulnerable youth aged 7-18
  • Hillside Animal Sanctuary: Equipment purchase (Paddock Sweeper) improving daily operations
  • NR5 Project: £3,000 for Christmas hampers reaching 242 families (525 individuals)

Language and Terminology

Successful applications tend to emphasize:

  • “Community benefit” and “wider public” impact
  • Specific numbers and measurable outcomes
  • Connection to East of England localities
  • Practical, tangible deliverables
  • Sustainability and ongoing value

Standing Out

To strengthen your application:

  • Be specific about geography: Clearly articulate how your work benefits communities in the Trust's focal counties
  • Quantify impact: Use concrete numbers for people served, outcomes achieved, or community reach
  • Define clear objectives: Identify 1-3 specific, measurable goals the grant will achieve
  • Demonstrate efficiency: Show how the grant will create lasting value or reach significant numbers
  • Provide evidence: Include testimonials, case studies, or data from previous work
  • Capital vs. revenue: Both are funded, but capital projects (equipment, facilities) feature prominently in awards
  • Local connection: Highlight any connections to Alan Boswell Group's business areas or employees

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Geographic alignment is critical: The Trust prioritizes Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire. Strong local presence significantly improves chances of success.
  1. Competition is significant: With 80-104 applications per quarter and estimated 15-20% success rate, applications must be exceptionally clear and compelling.
  1. Measurable objectives are mandatory: You must identify 1-3 specific, measurable outcomes. Vague or unmeasurable goals will weaken your application.
  1. Flexibility on grant size: The Trust has funded everything from £1,000 to £25,000+. Don't self-select out based on project size—match your request to genuine need.
  1. Quarterly decision cycle requires planning: With up to 3-month wait times, plan your application timeline accordingly. Submit well in advance of when funding is needed.
  1. Use the standardized form: Applications submitted in other formats will not be considered. Download and complete the official form precisely.
  1. Wide range of causes supported: The Trust genuinely considers diverse causes—from animal welfare to healthcare to education. Focus on demonstrating public benefit and local impact rather than fitting a narrow profile.
  1. No formal reapplication restrictions: If unsuccessful, you may be able to reapply, but contact the Trust to understand timing and feedback.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

  • P F Charitable Trust
  • The Bridge Trust
  • Peacock Charitable Trust
  • Penelope Martin Charitable Trust
  • Smile For Miley
  • The Christine Hall Trust
  • The Hearth Foundation
  • The Jan And Catherine Nasmyth Charitable Foundation
  • The Marie Celeste Samaritan Society
  • Stadium Charitable Trust

References